A Cancer Survivor's Journey to Find Peace on a Bike
CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA
One of my favorites. Just discovered I never posted about this.
Need to come back to add info.
Did not take a lot of photos because I was chasing PR segments.
Rode faster today than I did one year ago.
I like the loop starting in Chesapeake because it is closer than driving to Currituck.
Was able to replenish at the combo McDonalds/gas station in Currituck
hahahaha
LANCASTER, VIRGINIA
Seventeen years ago I went to a Century ride in Kilmarnock, Va. That day we crossed a river on what I referred to as the Ottoman Ferry. I was trying to recreate much of that ride. I looked for ferries in Virginia and found two near each other in Virginia’s “Northern Neck.”
I mapped out a ride parking at the Hickory Hollow Nature Trail in Lancaster, Va. My plan was to ride to the Merry Point Ferry, turn around, then ride to the Sunnybank Ferry. I mapped out a Metric Century (62 miles or 100 km) but was very flexible depending on how the ride went.
I parked in a wooded nature area big enough for perhaps four cars. It was country but there were a couple of houses across the road. I started my Wahoo and immediately had a Pit Bull (or mix) come charging at me. I had just started and there was no way I could get up to speed and escape.
I stopped and yelled “GO HOME!” while trying to make myself bigger. I was ready to dismount and use my bike to protect me when a truck pulling a flatbed trailer came up the road. The dog saw this and went back. The driver saw this confrontation and stopped between me and the dog. I was able to slip away unnoticed but for the next couple of minutes, I kept checking to see if the dog was chasing me.
I made my way to the Merry Point Ferry on Ottoman Ferry Road. This was the one I crossed 17 years ago. The captain or operator, John, was very nice. He was impressed that I planned to ride both ferries and told me to say hello to John who was operating the next ferry in my trip.
After crossing the Western Branch of the Corrotman River, I rode about one mile and then turned around and went back to the ferry.
I had planned to ride past where I had parked but checked my map and found a different route to my next destination. I had to avoid the dog.
The route was flat and mostly on country roads. I crossed the Great Wicomico River and then headed to Sunnback and the Sunnybank Ferry. I said hello to John who was surprised I knew his name. I was the only one on the ferry and about halfway across the Little Wicomico River John asked me if we could go back. A car was pulling up and he wanted to go back and pick it up.
I was in no hurry and told him that would be fine by me. But then he had second thoughts and we continued to the trip. To make it easier when we arrived at shore I stepped over the retaining rope and was able to walk around the gate so he did not have to disembark to take care of that. We almost hit the shore when he ] reversed it and went back for the car on the other side
I found an entrance to a development using Brammer Drive, next to the Chesapeake Bay. And a second dog chased me. Did I wear something dogs like today? Geez!
The ride back was a loop and then retraced much of what I had ridden.
Closer to Reedsville the roads became “heavy,” a cyclist description of rough asphault. Not potoles but more like the original surface without the smooth finishing coat. These roads are harder to pedal on an will wear one out sooner. There weren’t shoulders here and traffic increased.
Nice crossing of the Sunnybank Ferry (Sam)
It was a fun ride although I was shaken from the dog attack at the beginning. I was going to ride a metric century (62 miles) but cut it a little bit short. I may do a variation of this again but always with a watch out for the canines.
LEWES, DELAWARE
The challenge: Circumvent the Delaware Bay. The route was relatively straightforward. Go up through Delaware and return through New Jersey. Crossing the Delaware River by bike took some planning.
I utilized the mapping features of RidewithGPS and drew a ride from Lewes to Delaware City. The first was using the app and it produced a 97-mile route. The second used the website and it produced an 80-mile route. That’s a big difference mostly involving one hour of riding time.
That time would be significant. Saving “the best until last” I wanted to ride most of the day and then finish my day with a ferry ride. If I rode from south to north I would be racing to meet the last departure of the ferry for the day – a 3:00 p.m. boat from Delaware City to Pea Patch Island then to Fort Mott, N.J.
The Cape May-Lewes Ferry runs all day so there was no time constraint in rushing to meet its schedule other than what I would impose on myself by the reservation I made. The Forts Ferry Crossing operates Wednesday – Sunday from 9:30 until 3:00 in summer and weekends only in May and September.
Granted, the simplest would be to ride counterclockwise. Leaving Lewes I could catch an early morning ferry on Friday and then catch the 9:30 a.m. ferry in Fort Mott, New Jersey on Saturday. But it is nice looking forward to a ferry at the end of a ride. It is not nice to monitor the time during the ride and even skipping lunch because of a ferry schedule.
I contacted my friend, Branan, who lives in southeastern Pa. for a recommendation. He in turn connected me with his friend, Marty, who is from Delaware. Marty and I discussed logistics. As long as the ferry was an option I was going to utilize it. The closest bridge crossing is not until the Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia – a 90-mile detour.
Websites are great but few can answer every question or permeation that one may have. I couldn’t figure out with certainty whether I could take my bike and take this ferry across Delaware. Where is George Washington when you need him?
On Wednesday, the day before I left, I called the ticket office for the ferry. I was told I could take my bike. Just be sure to arrive before the last ferry (3:00). Buy a ticket in the office, no need to do it online in advance. Board the boat to the island. Stay on the boat then go to Fort Mott. It sounded simple.
Yesterday I went to Easton, Maryland, and rode out to Tilghman Island. I was chasing miles because on June 23 I was 970 miles behind my plan for the year. I also wanted a flat ride to get a good measure of my speed. I came in at 17.0 mph (27 kph) and wanted to use that to determine my riding time to Delaware City. I determined I should leave by 8:00 a.m. to allow myself plenty of time to make the boat.
Lodging was at Home2Suites by Hilton in Lewes. I should have checked in advance for the parking situation because I did not know before I checked in whether I could leave my car for an extra day. I could. They have plenty of open space next to the hotel and Cletis said there would be no problem leaving the car for a day while I rode to Pennsville for the night.
The night was short. There was an alarm in the room that had been set for 5:15 a.m. Not my alarm. Not my setting. Not a great way to start the day. I did try to go back to sleep for an hour or so but my Whoop Recovery was still in the red (33%). Well, here goes …
I was 23 minutes later leaving the hotel than I wanted. I was on the road at 8:23 a.m. It was windy. Most of the day it felt like I was fighting a headwind and my “windsock” measurement shows my longest continuous headwind was for three hours and two minutes. It was tough riding.
Destination: Delaware City. Fort Mott. Pennsville. I was only slightly confused leaving the hotel trying to find the direction my GPS wanted me to follow but soon found myself on the Georgetown/Lewes Trail.
The roads in southern Delaware were great. Mostly I had roads with wide shoulders. Magnolia was only 35 miles into the ride and Marty had suggested a water or food stop there because it was pretty barren the rest of the way. I did not need anything at that point nor did a convenience store jump out at me. Perhaps if I saw one if would have stopped. I didn’t.
From there it was a brief ride on Del. Rte 1, a busy 4-lane road with wide shoulders. After two km I turned onto Del. Rte 9 – a back road generally with no shoulders although occasionally there was room to ride to the right of the white line.
Marty examined the two different routes generated by RideWithGPS. Both went through Dover. He suggested the brief foray onto Del. Rte. 1 and to get to Rte 9 as soon as possible. RideWithGPS did not like this. I could not connect two points and be routed onto this road. This appears to be a mapping issue with Google Maps as they must have this road off-limits to bikes. RideWithGPS uses Google Maps on the back end.
In 2024 we can create or find a route we want to ride, upload that to our bike computer, and follow the map, not unlike a car’s mapping functions. The problem I had was I couldn’t map this section and had to resort to the feature of “drawing lines” instead of “following roads.” The only question I had on this ride was this section and my manual change to override the mapping feature worked perfectly.
I came to Little Creek (Mile 43) and saw the welcoming flags of OPEN that businesses will put out. I stopped at the Little Creek Grill. It has a small dining room and a counter. It was 11:30 a.m. and was packed. I had to ask one guy to stand up from his table to get past him to the cooler to grab water. I paid at the counter and thought that perhaps I should buy a second water to top off my second half-full bottle. He seemed bothered enough the first time. I didn’t try for a second.
At Mile 63 I was running short on water. I saw the welcome flags flying at an establishment and pulled in. It was Crab 73. I walked in and there was a man behind the counter with no shirt on. Two basins of crabs. But a refrigerator of water. $1 each. I took two. Thank god I found this place.
In reviewing the routes, Marty told me I had a better bridge crossing over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. For some reason, I pictured that I avoided a very high bridge and was taking a back road with a draw bridge across the canal.
As I approached the Reddy Point Bridge I could see the road going up. It was an impressive sight to see rising above the otherwise pancake-flat horizon. My legs did not like the thought of a climb now.
It was two lanes, no shoulder. It was no different than the 80 miles behind me and I liked to think that now I was visible in a straight line with two brightly shining rear strobe lights. I would be okay. Maybe 10 vehicles, at most, passed me and all were respectful. The most annoying thing about the bridge was that there were large junction gaps in the bridge deck every 20 meters or so.
In Delaware City at 2:15 p.m. I went straight to the ferry ticket office to buy my ticket. A very nice woman sold me one for the 3:00 departure. I asked about the 2:30 and she told me I could board it but it would go to the island, return, and then leave at 3:00 for the island before heading to Fort Mott.
I informed her that I really wanted a burger. She wasn’t real sure of fast service at Crabby Dicks and recommended a sandwich shop, Sabatina’s. I entered the shop which was permeated by a rotten cigar smell. I bought a Coke Zero and left. I went for ice cream instead.
Sitting outside a shade-covered table, two young women and two kids came by with ice cream. They looked at the tables in the sun and I invited them to sit at my table for six in the shade. Nice family. They were babysitting the kids.
I went over to the ferry at 2:50 p.m. When I was sure everyone was off I walked up with my ticket. The man couldn’t have been nicer. He showed me where to put my bike. We left at 2:58 p.m. Hmm. Glad I didn’t show up at 3:00.
The ferry stopped at Pea Patch Island, dropped a couple of passengers then picked up more to continue to New Jersey. I had mapped a riverfront ride to the hotel and it worked perfectly.
The hotel was the Hampton Inn, Pennsville. At the front desk, the clerk was eating a sandwich and didn’t seem to want to be interrupted. I went to my room (digital check-in), showered, and then walked next door to the Cracker Barrel for dinner. Back at the hotel, I asked for the snack mix as my Diamond Member rewards. He said they were out. I asked for the cookies. He said they were out. “Water,” I finally told him.
PANIC ENSUES
While at Cracker Barrell I decided to book my trip on the Cape May-Lewes ferry for tomorrow. I brought up their website and clicked on the calendar date. There were no available times for sailing! I had looked earlier in the week and it seemed like everything was wide open. But no bookings were available. I screwed up.
My goal of circumventing the Bay just took a big hit. Did I want to stay an extra day instead? The answer is no, I did not. I would have to go back the way I came. Back over to the Delaware Forts Ferry website.
There is no ticket office at Fort Mott, New Jersey. One must buy a ticket in advance. I bought a ticket for Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. – $11. The route back played out in my mind. It would be okay. Sleep a little later before hitting the road.
I went back to the Cape May-Lewes site once again. Maybe there was a cancellation. Then it dawned on me. I had been looking at today’s date for sailing.
When the body is tired the mind makes bad decisions.
Seems strange that nothing late showed as available but it actually wasn’t. The last boat had sailed. I checked for Saturday, Aug. 24 – and there were openings available all day.
I booked a fare for 2:30. Options included 1:00, 3:30, and 6:00 p.m. My original plan was back on.
JERSEY RIDING
I went to breakfast at the Hampton and out the door at 8:00 a.m. The weather was pleasant and just chilly enough I wore sunscreen arm protectors as arm warmers. The roads were surprisingly nice.
Virtually the entire way to Cape May I was on roads with wide shoulders. Also, the terrain tended to be rolling. No real hills per se but enough variability in the terrain to require me to shift gears often.
Bridgeton, N.J. was interesting. It reminded me of Portland, Oregon, minus the hipsters on their bikes doing track stands at the traffic lights. But it did have the same amount of broken glass along the shoulders. Wanting a nature break I saw the golden arches and thought I would use their restroom. In the entrance vestibule, I was going to bring in my bike but saw a “beater” bike already there. I thought if someone had to hide that bike there was no way I was going to slip inside for two minutes and leave my bike unguarded. I left.
Riding through Cumberland Co., I went past the New Jersey Motor Sports park – a noisy proposition for sure. Near Mauricetown I went “off script” and I’m not sure it was the right decision. But I think it was.
I had traveled 44 miles and was low on water. Unlike the last 40 miles in Delaware, there seemed to be gas sations and/or convenience stores most of the way to Cape May. But I saw a Wawa.
My rule of thumb while riding, especially long distances by myself, is never pass a Sheetz (without stopping). And here east of the Susquehanna, that applies to Wawa as well. I got two waters and was good to go. I checked my maps.
What I had mapped out weaved back and forth a bit headed down to Cape May. I was right next to the intersection with NJ 347 which looked to be a direct line to Cape May. I figured my original route was more on country roads and 347 was highway and I was right. I decided to take a peek and if it had a shoulder I would ride it.
I could feel my body tiring. I figured direct was better. I appears that I saved about four miles from my original route. I didn’t need the 15 minutes that I saved as much as I was glad to cut off miles. I started watching the clock.
The ferry departed at 2:30. Check-in was at 1:30 p.m. I still needed a ticket. I was glad to have shaved the miles.
One more convenience store and this time I bought water and a Coke Zero. The Coke would fit into my jersey pocket which as now empty of contents having eaten my way through the gels and food that I brought. A Snickers bar fit into my tightly packed backpack.
I departed the main highway and was in the residential area of North Cape May. No traffic but sometimes sandy streets and my route did not connect all the way through directly. On one street I must have had 20 straight blocks with a stop sign.
At the end of the street was a Dead End sign whereas my map on my Wahoo wanted me to go straight. I saw an officer and asked if the ferry was straight ahead. She pointed me up the road and told me there was a bicycle entrance.
I purchased my ticket online but I needed to trade that in for a paper ticket. I parked outside the terminal and went in. Maybe it was matching ID to the name in order to get the ticket. In most places the ticket on your phone is good enough but here you still need paper. Whatever it was, I got my ticket and was good to go. It was 1:41 p.m.
While I was waiting two guys came over to me to chat. One was on a motorcycle while the other was on an e-Bike. Both wanted to let me know that they ride “real” bikes when not on the machines they were riding that day.
It was 2:20 p.m. when the first passengers were invited to board – two bicyclists. There are bike racks amongst the cars. I removed my Wahoo and Garmin Varia Radar from the bike and left the bike unlocked. I just didn’t think someone would pick up my bike and put it in their car. And if they did – I would trust the AirTag in the bike to alert me to the location.
I went upstairs and grabbed a bite to eat. Found a table with USB ports, sat, and relaxed. The trip across the Bay took almost 90 minutes. It was 4:00 when we rolled off the deck.
From the terminal, it was four miles back to the hotel where I had left the car two days ago. It was an easy ride, and I was back on the Georgetown/Lewes Trail for another mile.
Back at the hotel, I was greeted by Cletis. “You made it!” he said. I was parched and while he retrieved my suitcase with my car key in it, he also told me to take whatever I wanted from their cooler. The water was so good. And so was a Coke Zero,.
With gratitude to Branan and Marty for their knowledge and advice.
Lessons Learned:
I went light. I took a clean kit for the second day. I think I could have gotten by with washing it in the shower or even using the hotel laundry so I didn’t carry a second kit. Or maybe just clean bibs and wash the jersey.
I had a mesh backpack with string straps. Go with real straps even if using a heavier backpack.
As much as I like saving the ferry ride for the last thing of the day, consider riding counterclockwise and hitting the ferry first thing. The Delaware ferry was an absolute 3:00 cutoff whereas Cape May was 2:30 but could have been made for 3:30 or 6:00 p.m. But on both days I was very aware that I had to make a time cutoff and I would not have that if I rode counterclockwise. Having a hard deadline adds a bit of stress.
The last 40 miles in Delaware from Dover to Delaware City on Rte 9 are mostly barren for supplies. Riding north to south in Delaware would place those 40 miles at the beginning of the ride instead of the end.
Fun adventure! Will I do it again? Doubtful. But I would like to. And I do recommend it. Maybe someone can learn from my mistakes.
EASTON, MARYLAND
I have ridden out to St. Michaels and Tilghman Island 5-6 times from Easton but always by land. I elect to come back via the ferry. And that was my plan for today.
When I parked at Idlewild Park in Easton, a small neighborhood park, I made a decision to try something new. I would go out to the ferry as well as come back that way. Or at least give me the option of returning via ferry.
I was chasing miles. I am way behind on my mileage goal for the year so my goal today was a metric century (100 km or 62 miles). The roads here are nice. Flat. Most of the roads are two-lane with wide shoulders that often are marked as a bike lane but safe to travel in them when they’re not.
From Easton to Oxford it is 10 miles on a shoulder to the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry. After disembarking in Bellevue it is 4.5 miles on a narrow two-lane country road out to the main road to St. Michaels. Once on the main road, it is 15 miles farther to Tilghman’s Island. There is a wide shoulder the entire way except in St. Michaels.
One can stay on the main street through St. Michaels and share it with cars. It is signed for 25 mph so a bike traveling 20 mph is not much of a problem. One can cut through a beautiful neighborhood or even find a bike trail (slow) to avoid the downtown. If one stays on the street it is about two miles of “city” streets before exiting town and getting back on the shoulder.
At Tilghman Island the shoulder ends and if you follow the road to the end it’s another three miles on a sparsely traveled country road. The distance from Easton, via the ferry, to Tilghman Island is 32.5 miles (51 km) of which 22.5 miles has a wide shoulder. Beautiful riding.
The ride out to Oxford was nice. On board the ferry a young man came by to collect the fare – $7 (for bikes, one way). He asked me if I wanted a round trip and I asked how much that was, knowing the car ferry was not double the one-way fare. He told me $14. I declined. That left the option of returning by the land road should I want to.
The winds were windy. Out here next to the Chesapeake Bay, it seems always to be windy. But the route I chose was an “S” loop and was out and back. Unless the winds shifted during my ride I figure equal parts headwind, tailwind, and crosswinds.
On the ferry was one car. The driver came over to me and asked me about my riding. Where I was going (Tilghman Island) and how far (60 miles).
My goal was a metric century and when I reached 50 km at Tilghman Island it was a perfect turnaround point. But so too would be riding to the end of the island. I rode to the end.
I seemed to be okay on my fluids and did not stop in St. Michaels for more water on the way back. I continued on to the ferry. My “oasis” awaited – the Scottish Highlands Creamery in Oxford.
There was a different fare-taker on board this time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the same person twice collecting fares. There were two cars on the ferry. The driver of one came over to me to see how far I rode. It was the same guy I talked to going over. I rode 45 miles and he and his wife ate lunch.
Besides collecting miles, another goal of today’s ride was to gauge my riding speed. I would need that for the timing of my Delaware Bay ride. I finished with an average of 17.0 mph (27.4 kph) which was only 0.8 less than the last time I rode and we rode in a double pace-line the entire time. This was good and set me up for tomorrow.
DISTANCE: 65 miles
SPEED: 17.0 MPH
ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA
My go-to climb in Blair County, Pa. has been Glenwhite Road from Horseshoe Curve to the top of the mountain. I climb it 3-4 times per year and always love it. I didn’t need anything different but I found something different.
While visiting my mother in Pennsylvania, I was looking to see if I could find a group ride in Blair County. I found the Blair Cycling Club on Facebook but didn’t find any group rides listed. Lots of cancellation notices. But I found something better. It looked like they have a “Mountain Challenge” ride every Tuesday. And they posted those along with a map file.
I found two challenges. On my way home I would stop and ride one. If it went well I would ride the second one if it wasn’t too far out of the way.
The two were the Baumgardner Mountain Challenge and the Williamsburg Mountain Challenge. I was familiar with the areas but not with the climbs. I thought the first one was one I had descended before – Sproul Mountain. When I got on the road I realized it wasn’t.
I drove to the tiny village of Imler. I parked at the fire department and then headed to Osterburg. There begins a one-mile climb to I-99. Once under the Interstate I turned on Mountain Road. This is a 2.5-mile climb over Baumgardner Mountain. As I climbed the gradient got progressively steeper until the last half mile was around 12%.
I was thinking it was an easy climb and thought I would go to the summit in the saddle. But as I climbed increasingly higher that goal gave way just to staying comfortable on the climb. I went over the top searching for the gradient sign and found one – 12% for two miles.
After turning around most of this ride was downhill or flat going back. It really was delightful. I thought I would look for one of Bedford County’s covered bridges if the route did not take me to one. But it did.
I went past the Bowser Covered Bridge. I stopped for a couple of photos and then headed back to the car.
Nice loop. I’d ride it again if the circumstances were right.
The second climb began in Williamsburg. This one would be a little out of the way. I decided if it was less than 45 minutes away I would do it. I turned on Waze and my ETA was 43 minutes. I honored the deal that I made with myself.
I knew Williamsburg mostly from being a rest stop on the MS rides from Hollidaysburg to State College. We always went in by rolling valley roads so I looked forward to seeing the climb.
On the way to Williamsburg on U.S. 22 I passed Turkey Valley Road and turned left. Just a quarter mile up the road is a bat house managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources. But I know it was the former Canoe Creek E.U.B. Church. This was one of three of my dad’s first churches he was assigned to as a probationary pastor in 1958. The other two churches were East Freedom and Mount Moriah.
Just being here was to be in my dad’s presence once again. It brought me peace remembering him and his service to this community.
In Williamsburg, I parked at the trailhead. There is a rail trail here but I would be climbing and not taking the east 1% grade of the former train on the Lower Trail.
Immediatley I began climbing. It was a half-mile climb followed by a half-mile descent that I hated. I knew I would be added that half-mile back into the next climb. There was a little more than one mile of flat and then I hit the wall. The climb began in earnest. It started at 9-10% and never got easier. It was a 2.5-mile climb to the summit and stayed around 10% with some sections of 12%. It was a tough climb,
I’ve read ratings of climbs in the area. I like the Horseshoe Curve. I’ve also ridden Henrietta Mountain which is rated tougher. My memory could use a rain check on Henrietta – I think this was the toughest climb that I’ve done.
My glasses were covered in sweat. I tried to clean them at the top before turning around an descending but I was still sweating. I think I could have hit 50 mph on the descent if I could see the road clearly. I could not.
Near the bottom, I turned and made this into a 17-mile out-and-back loop ride. The valley was pretty and I enjoyed not just riding a nine-mile up and down mountain ride.
Back in Williamsburg, it was time for a treat. Ice cream at the end.
Bicycling Magazine published The 30 Hardest Hill Climbs in the World (most recently updated in 2022). I have always been more enthusiastic than talented but let me look at their list. Some I have done. Some I will never do (logistics mostly). And some I would like to do or do again.
The list:
The ones I have climbed are in bold. I came close to climbing the Mortirolo (#8) in 2014. I was on a Trek Travel trip in Italy and we were supposed to ride Mortirolo but we were rained out (they couldn’t get the support vans up there) and I never felt the need to get back there.
There are two on this list I may still do, Whiteface (4) in New York and Grimsel Pass (26) in Switzerland. I’d give myself about a 49% chance of climbing Whiteface and a 15% chance of Grimsel Pass.
Note: Since updating this to suggest that there was slightly less than a 50/50 chance of climbing Whiteface I realized I was confusing my mountains. I was thinking about Ascutney in southern Vermont, just off I-91. I may get to Ascutney, but I don’t think I will get to Whiteface.
Also, note to self: There is a nice primer on Swiss climbs if you’re serious about Grimsel Pass. And another at Cycling Challenge on the Gotthard Challenge and I will prioritize the Gotthard Challenge over Grimsel Pass.
I’ll keep climbing as long as I am able.
And now the new stuff. I introduce PDI – PJAMM Difficulty Index There is no perfect way to evaluate the difficulty of a climb, and indeed, it can be personal. A lightweight climber (not me) may find a longer steady climb more difficult than a shorter steeper climb. Likewise, a heavier rider may do better on long climbs but go into difficulty when the road turns steep. The PDI is an attempt to compare climbs. Your experience (and mine) may differ.
This looks at climbs I have done and is not a comparison of how difficult they are. The most difficult one listed here is Mount Washington, NH, and, IMHO, it’s not even close. Keep that in mind when looking at PDI.
And now the climbs, of the “Top 30,” I have done.
Mount Evans, Colorado
I first climbed Mount Evans in 2007 on a straight bar rental road bike. Then again in 2016 on my own bike – and I saw a bear! It was easier on my own bike after 400 miles and one week of riding in the Rockies. When I rode it in 2007 I said, “Never again.” And then rode it in 2016. I never learn. It is one of two climbs that I said, “Never again.”
Note: Mount Evans was renamed Mount Blue Sky in 2023.
Mount Lemmon, Arizona
This climb is absolutely beautiful. Just make sure you carry enough water. It is extremely dry and there are no water supplies until near the top. Camelbaks work. The locals know to start at 6:00 a.m. because it will bake. I climbed it in October 2011.
Mount Mitchell, North Carolina
Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi. It was never a bucket list climb for me but I climbed it in November 2020. Real cyclists can punish themselves by riding 100 miles from Spartanburg, South Carolina in the Assault on Mt. Mitchell.
Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Mount Washington, New Hampshire. The hardest of them all. I have ridden it nine times; the first time without changing my gearing. Two other times I was there the race was canceled (weather – of course).
The years: 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2023* (2007 and 2023 were canceled).
Mont Ventoux, France
If I only had a Whoop Band in 2011. I had driven about six hours, was locked out of my pre-paid chateau, and spent the night sleeping in my rental car. And then I climbed Mont Ventoux. It became rainy and very windy but I had one chance in my life to get to the summit so I did.
Passo dello Stelvio
Her 48 switchbacks are calling me back. I first rode it in 2014 and planned a side trip while in Switzerland in 2017 but warm turned to cold and sun turned to rain and snow on the beautiful pass. I probably will never get back but would love to ride this one again.
Gavia Pass
A cold, wet day in June, 2014, my iconic image is seeing a bunch a teenage boys pushing their bikes up the climb where we rode. This was the snow-covered pass made famous by Andy Hampsten when he rode into Giro d’Italia and cycling history in 1988 (although he did not win that day – Erik Breukink did).
Col du Galibier
July 19, 2011, was the coldest I have ever been on a bike. I rode to the summit of the Col du Lautaret as rain turned to snow and had to abandon my attempt to climb the Col du Galibier. I never thought I would get a second chance. But in 2024 I went to France with Cykelnerven and was able to climb the Col du Galibier.
Mount Baldy, California
One of Southern California’s toughest climbs, this seemed to be a staple in the Amgen Tour of California. It was never a bucket list climb for me but when I went to Phil Gaimon’s Cookie Gran Fondo in 2018 I made it a point to find this climb.
Col du Tourmalet
In 2011 I went up and over the summit and back up again to watch the Tour de France. In 2010 I climbed it from both sides but was stopped 4km from the summit by the police for the Tour de France. It’s tough.
I climbed this in its entirety but not all at the same time. In 2010 while on a Trek Travel trip, we started in Lourdes and rode this climb to within four kilometers of the summit. About six km down we had a tent for our viewing location but a number of us rode to the 4 km spot where the road was blocked off to the summit.
In 2011 I returned to France and rode up the Tourmalet from the Campon side. Riding with my friend, Adrian, we went over the top and started to descend this side of the mountain. My rear wheel had a wobble. When we reached the tent area of the last year we turned around and went back up the Tourmalet to make our viewing location at the summit.
In terms of miles, I climbed nine miles of this climb in 2010 and, by accident, rode the final 2.5 miles in 2011. It’s a bit longer on this side (11.5 v. 10.5 miles) and a little less steep (7.1% vs. 7.6%). I struggled from the other side on 2011 and would say this side is a bit easier despite the PJAMM score of 28.6 vs. 28.4.
Alpe d’Huez
Another iconic climb. Probably the second one I would most like to repeat (after Stelvio).
And that is it. It’s a nice list of 30 climbs. According to the PDI (PJamm Difficulty Index, the three most difficult are Mt. Washington (NH), Mount Evans (CO), and Stelvio Pass. Personally, Mount Washington is much harder than Mount Evans or Stelvio Pass. For my type of riding the steepness of Mount Washington is a killer. It’s the only climb that I have to change the gearing of my bike.
I would put Mount Evans second because it along with Mount Washington are the only two climbs that I said, “Never again” immediately when I finished.
I will add one more.
Gotthard Pass, Switzerland
I would submit that the PDI completely misses on this climb in Switzerland. Granted, of the climbs in the list that I have done, the difficulty level of the Gotthard Pass is the easiest. I include it for the scenery, the switchbacks, and the surface. It’s almost eight miles of cobblestones. The difficulty level of riding on cobblestones increases greatly because of this road surface. It definitely belongs.
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA
Face it, when riding “flat” is usually in reference to a tire with no air. But it is also a terrain. And this flat is good.
In preparation for the Cykelnerven event in France in June, we were asked for a self-evaluation. One of the questions was “How fast to you ride on a flat route?” My rhetorical answer was “Where can I find one of those flat courses?”
My answer did not fit into the boxes we were given. I added a note and said 27 km per hour (17 mph). And then I went to France. I was nowhere close to that average and felt like I was dishonest with Bo, our ride leader, and dishonest with myself. I began to wonder if I would ever see that speed again.
In town for a wedding, I did not have time for a long ride on Saturday because we had an afternoon wedding. Likewise on Sunday we were meeting for breakfast/brunch and then headed home. So I went to Presque Isle for a quick ride.
On Saturday I parked at Beach One. On Sunday I parked on the bay side at the first parking area. Each day I planned to circumvent Presque Isle State Park.
I did not know the distance (approximately 12 miles – 19.3 km). On Saturday I had a little more time. I exited the park, rode to Sarah’s, the very popular 50s-style hot dog and ice cream stand at the entrance and then another half lap. On Sunday I only had time for one lap.
The roads here are great. On the bay side there is a bike path that follows the bay and is well suited for kids on bikes and runners or walkers. It is not a serious place to ride a road bike. Rather the roadway for the first 3.5 miles is a two-lane one-way road that is parallel to the bike lane that weaves in and out of the woods.
At the end of the 3.5 miles the road becomes two-lane with traffic in either direction. This forms a six-mile loop at the top of the peninsula before opening up to another two-lane one-way road that exists the park.
I started riding at a good pace. I was never watching my speed but new I felt good. It wasn’t quite an all-out effort one might give in a time trial. Instead of a 100% effort it was probably 90%.
Traffic was very light and very respectable. It was also 7:00 a.m. so the beach traffic was not materializing at that time. I was riding pretty fast, at least for me, and was getting very sweaty. I did not want to try to take photos while I rode, both in an effort to keep my speed up and also not wanting to drop a sweaty phone.
I checked my speed. On Saturday it was 18.5 mph (29.8 kph). On Sunday I was just happy to ride and had no pretense that I could ride at 18.5 again. And I was even faster – 18.8 mph (30.3 kph). It didn’t match the 21.7 mph (34.9 kph) that I averaged last year at Corolla, N.C. But that was a full out effort whereas this was 90%.
This was close to a JRA ride (just riding along) although at a higher pace. I felt that I was honest in my pre-France assessment. I can average 17 or 18 mph on the flat – if I can find a flat. I found one.
MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA (ERIE)
Despite living here for six years, I did not know any good cycling routes besides Presque Isle. I was a, GULP, runner in the early 80s. But a wedding brought me back to the area and I found some routes for the Lake Erie Cyclefest while the wedding planners were doing their planning stuff.
I drove out to Asbury Woods to begin a 50-mile (80 km) loop. The first three miles (five km) were on rough pavement. Lots of potholes. And that is where the loop portion began. I was in Fairview Township and rode north towards Lake Erie.
I could see on the map that the route did not go right beside the lake but in this area, the land back from the lake is typically higher so one can often see the lake despite being a mile or more away. Not today. I never saw the lake.
I thought I might set a record for at-grade railroad crossings. I was reminded that a lot of rail traffic goes through this area. I went through Fairview Township and passed some vineyards. Compared to the ones in Loudoun County, Va., the vineyards I saw were very unkept.
I went into Girard and then turned south towards Albion and Cranesville. These were small towns very familiar to me and, strangely enough, I have never been. On May 31, 1985, we were told that “Albion was wiped off the map” by the killer tornadoes that swept through the area on that day. It was surreal riding through here. I’m sure a swath had been wiped out but I could not tell where some 39 years later.
The route was mostly on rural roads with little traffic. Some of it is wooded, and some of it is open next to fields. Although it was not exactly on the route, I saw a McDonalds in Albion should I wanted to stop.
Nice route. I’d recommend it. Ialso doubt that I will get to ride this again.
DISTANCE: 49.8 miles (80 km)
MENTON, FRANCE
Photos (Clockwise from Upperleft):
1. Kerry and Shona from MSIF at the summit of Col du Lautaret
2. Barry at the summit of Col du Lautaret
3. Barry and Conor
4. Col du Galibier
5. Conor and Barry at a cafe in Sospel, France
6. Barry at the summit of Col du Lautaret
7. Our Cykelnerven riders at Auron, France
8. Barry at the Col de la Bonette
Conor is from Ireland and is battling Primary Progressive M.S. I rode with him on two of our toughest climbs and he thanked me for giving him strength and encouragement to make it. In truth, riding with him gave me inspiration.
Total Raised: $5429 (5000 Euros)
Note: On June 4-9, I participated in Cykelnerven, a cycling event that benefits the Multiple Sclerosis International Foundation (MSIF). We took on some of the toughest climbs to be used in this year’s Tour de France.
FRANCE
For those who prefer a simple summary.
SATURDAY, JUNE 1
I flew from Washington-Dulles at 11:30 p.m. to Rejkevick, Iceland arriving at 9:00 a.m. Sunday with my connecting flight to Milan, Italy at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. I had 23 hours to kill. Or explore. I chose to explore.
I really needed to rest. Instead, I did some driving in Iceland but I was very tired. My wake-up call was at 4:00 a.m. to get back to the airport and on to Milan, Italy. I didn’t see much and would have been better served to stay at a hotel at the airport and make plans to see Iceland another time.
I flew from Iceland to Italy. When I gathered my luggage I found the hotel shuttle (with the help of the Terravision Bus guys) and went to the Doubletree Hotel. I had a sandwich in my carry-on from the hotel in Iceland that became my dinner. I did not try to sightsee in Milan. I was here 10 years ago.
TUESDAY, JUNE 4
On Tuesday, June 4, I stayed at the hotel until 2:00 p.m. and then went back to the airport which was the meeting point for our transport to Briançon, France.
At the hotel, we had staff introductions, a brief team meeting, dinner, and built bikes (for those who brought bikes and didn’t rent).
We awoke to a chilly but beautiful morning. All of us would ride from Briançon to the Col du Galibier. This was the last of my “bike-it” (bucket) list climbs; one I never thought I would do after being turned back by snow on July 19, 2011.
Our second climb of the day was the HC Col de Vars to the hotel. I was last. It was a tough day.
We began the day with a climb of the Col de Vars. After a 15-mile descent, we had an 11-mile climb up the Cime de la Bonette, the toughest climb of the week. It will be used in Stage 19 of this year’s Tour de France. I thought I was done for the day after that as mu teammates arranged a shuttle pickup to the hotel at the bottom of the climb. I rode ahead, uphill, to the hotel, in the rain.
We had a 20-mile descent followed by a 10-mile climb of the Col de la Cpuillole, which will be the finishing climb on Stage 20 of this year’s Tour de France. That was followed by a 20-mile descent and a bus transfer to Menton.
Our route changed from the plan to an out-and-back on the Col de Turini due to a road rally being held. I went a bit short and went swimming in the Mediterranean.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
We took a bus to the airport in Nice. Sat 10 minutes at a toll booth when the driver refused to pay the toll, got pulled over and searched by the police, and the bus broke down. What a great trip to the airport. Flew from Nice to Hamburg to connect to Zurich.
MONDAY, JUNE 10
At check-in last night at the Zurich Airport Hilton I was upgraded to a relaxation room. I could have stayed in this hotel 36 straight hours. But I went for a 35-mile ride halfway around Lake Zurich and took the ferry across.
TUESDAY, JUNE 11
I returned two weeks earlier than planned on American Airlines Zurich to Philadelphia then Philadelphia to D.C. The flight time (aloft) from Phila. to D.C. was 29 minutes. The wait for luggage: 45 minutes.
